Food Plot Prep Question

[Lou.D]

Hey guys, wanted a little input on what plan of attack I should take on my plot this year. I am a little behind the 8 ball being that my work schedule puts me away 3 weeks at a time. Ill be home until sept. 1st and would like to get seed in the ground ASAP.

The plot I have planted for the past 2 seasons with clover and radishes/turnips is overgrown with grass and weeds. What is the best action to take to re seed? Mow, spray turnover and seed? 

Would like a little insite on what you guys would do to promote the best growth in the time window i have. Thanks for the help. Lots of great info here as always! 

Much appreciated- Lou

[TDaly25]

Lou, your sequence of mow, spray, turn and seed makes sense to me. If it is truly overgrown then you may want to rake after mowing and before spraying.  You can obviously mow and spray on the same day.  Id give it a day after spraying before turning . I always wait a week after turning before planting, though I don't know if it's really necessary.

[badams14]

Mow, turn, spray and plant.

If you spray then turn you will disturb the soil and seeds will germinate that were previously buried.

What are you panting and what type of equipment do you have, depending on the equipment available and seed sIze you may not have to turn the ground over.


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[tcook8296]

Whats the existing clover looking like? If there is good clover there, you could mow it. Spray it with Cleth or a light dose of round up. Whitetail Institute also has a product called slay and arrest. Depending on the equipment you have to work with, what you have now and what you want to plant would determine your next step. Any clover planted now wont do much of anything until spring. Your window for turnips or radishes is just about closed. Come September rye , wheat and oats will most likely be your only option.  I would hate to turn over good clover. I have a bean field and clover field right next to each other. There are always more deer in the clover field for what its worth. 

Edited August 15, 2018 by tcook8296

[Lou.D]

Thanks for the input guys. And yes its obviously less than ideal as far as the timeline. Tcook, i was plannong on a turnip brassica mix in my exhisting plot and wanted to start a new stand of clover adjacent to the old plot which is currently just overgrown field. Would it be possible to mow it low enough and broacast seed? Or will it be a waste? Thanks guys

 

-Lou

[MS22]

We’re going to be doing things a little different this year. Due to a complete lack of time and equipment, we’re going to be spraying, then broadcasting clover and rye. After that we’ll mow to lay thatch down over the seed. Hoping for decent germination with this throw and mow method. May drag lightly to create a little better seed/soil contact but clover and especially rye get pretty good germination if you get a little moisture. Plan is to come back late winter and frost seed more clover as i am ssing we’ll need it. Then cut back the rye when it gets above the clover in spring. 

[Lou.D]

Thanks for the input guys!